Washington, DC — Today, TIME announced it has named Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward, to the 2025 TIME100, its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. The full list and related tributes appear in the April 28, 2025, issue of TIME, available on newsstands on Friday, April 18, and now at time.com/time100. 

The list recognizes the impact, innovation and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals. Perryman is recognized for her work building and implementing innovative strategies in courts and communities across the country that harness the power of people and build a brighter future. “We are moving through a moment that requires bold, swift action—Skye has shown time and again that she is willing and able to meet this moment,” wrote Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, of Perryman in recognizing her as a leading innovator.  

“At this inflection point for our nation, I am grateful that Time100 recognizes the unique impact of our work defending people and our democracy,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “This honor is a testament to the incredible work that our team at Democracy Forward does every day—individual people who are determined to beat long odds and achieve a better future for our nation. In spite of the chaos and confusion that has occurred over the past several months and a rising extremist movement that threatens people and our democracy in the United States, I believe in the American people and the courage that we can all find together.” 

Part of its founding litigation team, Perryman took the helm at Democracy Forward a few months after January 6, 2021, in the midst of rising extremism in communities and courts across the country. She has built a visionary team of legal, policy, and communications experts to confront anti-democratic extremism head-on while also using the law to advance progress and a bold vision for the future. Under Perryman’s leadership, Democracy Forward has expanded the scope and reach of its work, emerging as a nationally recognized institution that is taking on the most significant issues affecting people, families, and communities.

Since January 20, 2025, Democracy Forward has filed swift litigation and won court orders that protect the American people from harmful and unlawful federal executive action, including securing a nationwide order stopping the freeze on funding and essential services, protecting religious liberty, blocking unauthorized access to American’s data at the Social Security Administration, and opposing attempts to undermine public education, while also continuing its work in states and local communities. Perryman has developed unique collaborations that include faith, business, labor, and civil rights organizations and spent months building Democracy 2025, a coalition that is now 500 organizations strong, to ensure swift legal challenges and responses to governmental actions that threaten people and our democracy. In the face of increasing attacks on lawyers and the legal profession, Perryman marshaled cross-partisan support in defense of the legal profession and has been a leading voice in catalyzing the power of people and the importance of using all the tools that our democracy provides to protect our freedoms.  

Learn more about how Time chooses their list here.

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Democracy Forward is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.